NDSU's toughness and attitude remind me of Hauck's teams. The difference being, NDSU does not slip by losing to teams they have no business losing to in the playoffs. NDSU wins the mental game before the kickoff.
Sorry, but what NDSU has going on is what every FCS program wants in terms of winning, and on the field performance. The differences are preparation and execution from top man all the way down to the last player. The GRIZ are far from the flagship FCS program. We should be contenders, meaning in the same conversation with NDSU, hell even EWU. We belong in the final 8 much more often than we are. NDSU has made CC look average. We made CC look like contenders.
We no longer have that attitude and swagger we once did. We no longer have that toughness. Offensively, we have inconsistent playcalling. Defensively our strategy is passive, and have very little attitude. Our big boys on the OL need to have attitude, yet get beat by less talented DL's.
Without a playmaking QB, the GRIZ are not in the playoffs. The players are talented, and have heart. The coaching staff falls short though. Here is to hoping this staff has significant improvement for the 2014 season as they did from the 2012 to the 2013 season.